Marin Sawa

Marin is a designer and researcher, practising at the intersection of design and biotechnology. She is particularly interested in the synthesis of art, science and technology in the context of the urban environment and ecology.

She previously studied at the Architectural Association for her BA (Hons), Architecture and RIBA part1. She spent several years in Tokyo working for various architects firms and charismatic designers, including Taisuke Higuchi (Mackintosh/Globe Trotter Marunouchi), the renowned architects office, Kengo Kuma and Associates (Tokyo Agricultural University Museum, Designers Mansions 'Ajito', exhibition designs, the web design for the Kengo Kuma office), which led her to explore her passion for material structures culminating in a master's degree at Central Saint Martins entitled Design For Textile Futures, from which she has graduated with distinction.

Recent awards include the 2012 UAL International Graduate Scholarship, for funding her research degree at CSM, and 2012 Color in Design Award sponsored by Pantone.

Currently, as of the duration of her PhD (2011/12-2015), she is an appointed visiting reseacher and the Designer in Residence at Biochemistry Dep. (The Nixon Group), Sir Ernst Chain Building – Wolfson Laboratories, Imperial College London. This unique collaboration has been forged through the Energy Futures Lab, Imperial College, based on the commonality, algae, between her best-known work, Algaerium and their algal research: she continues to explore an intersection of design and algal biotechnology.